Non-crushing multi-layer cable spooling method and apparatus therefor



July 9, 1968 F. 1.. LE BUS, SR 3,

NON-CRUSHING MULTI-LAYER CABLE SPOOLING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Franklin L. LeBus, 5r.

WJQWAQK 914 AGENT y 9, 1968 F. L. LE BUS, SR 3,391,879

NON-CRUSHING MULTI-LAYER CABLE SPOOLING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NZ ,4 L

ae )4 m INVENTOR.

Frank/[n L. LeBus, 5/, BY

myame av W AGENT y 1968 F. LE Qua-SR 3, 9 ,8

NON-CRUSHING MULTI-LAYEH CABLE SPOOLING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1966 Fig. 4-

MJM 5 2mm,

AGENT y 1968 F. L. LE BUS, SR 3,391,879

uou-cnusmue MULTI-LAYER CABLE SPOOLING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 10, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTOR. Frank/in L. LeBus, 5r, BY

MJM 7M AGENT United States Patent 3,391,879 N ON-CRUSHING MULTI-LAYER CABLE SlUGL- ING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Franklin L. Le Bus Sr., Longview, Tern, assignor to Le Bus Royalty Company, a partnership consisting of F. L. Le Bus, Sr., F. L. Le Bus, Jr., and G. F. Le Bus Rotary Tool Trust, Longview, Tex.

Filed Feb. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 526,495 13 Claims. (Cl. 242-117) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A method and means of cable spoofing wherein the cross-over area on the cable spooling drum is recessed in order that the first layer of cable section disposed in the cross-over area will be suspended above the bottom of the recessed area. This provides a yieldable area at the cross-over for substantially eliminating or greatly reducing the tremendous crushing pressures on the initial layer of the cable in multi-layer cable spooling operations. In

addition, the yieldable feature at the crossover substantially reduces the build-up of the cable at the cross-over area for reducing eccentric configuration of the wound cable on the spool.

This invention relates to improvements in cable spooling apparatus and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved cable spooling apparatus and system designed and constructed for substantially eliminating crushing of the cable in a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

In many cable spooling operations, the cable or line being wound on the spooling drum is of great length and as a consequence it is usually necessary to wind the cable on the drum in multiple layers in order to accommodate the entire length of the cable. In order to provide a true and even Winding of the cable during a spooling operation when the cable is wound in multiple layers, it is particularly important to provide control for the winding of the initial layers of the cable. A spooling system for controlling the winding of the initial layers of the cable which is in widespread use today is known as the Le Bus controlled spooling system and comprises utilization of a drum core having a cable receiving groove provided on the outer periphery thereof. The cable receiving groove comprises a plurality of alternate parallel sections and helical sections, with the most common arrangement being the provision of two helical sections and two parallel sections, although :in some instances only one helical section is provided. Of course, it may also be of advantage in some instances to provide more than two helical sections.

The helical sections provided On the drum core are commonly known as the pitch areas and are usually so arranged as to move the cable from one parallel section through a preselected lateral dimension and into the next succeeding parallel section. As the initial layer of cable is wound on the drum, the cable is disposed in the groove and is efliciently wound around the drum core to provide an efiicient basis for the succeeding or subsequent layers to be wound thereon. During the winding of the second layer of cable, the cable is reversed in direction at the drum flange by the usual kicker members, or the like, as is well known, and the cable follows or lies in the groove provided between the wraps of the previous or first layer of cable. Of course, at each pitch area or helical section of the first layer, the second layer of cable is moving in a reverse direction, and consequently rises upwardly over the helically wound portion of the first layer and continues to wind in the parallel sections toward the op- 3,391,879 Patented July 9, 1968 posite drum flange. These areas on the second and succeeding layers of the wound cable are commonly known as the cross-over areas.

It will be readily apparent that the portions of the cable disposed in the cross-over areas exert a substantially great radially inward pressure on the cable portions thereunder, and as the number of layers wound on the drum core increases, the pressure on the lower or inner layers of cable may be extremely high. This pressure is detrimental in that the cable may be severely crushed, and the resulting damage may render the cable ineifective for its intended use. As a result of the damage which may be inflicted on the cable from the pressure, there are many countries and states that have regulations limiting the number of layers of cable which may be wound on a drum. For example, man haulage hoists in many countries may be wound with only a single layer of cable in order to avoid breakage of the cable which may be caused by the crushing and scrubbing effect at the cross-over area in multi-layer cable spooling. Of course, this requires the use of an extremely long drum core in order to wind the cable in one layer, and the disadvantages of such an extremely long drum will be apparent. In other countries, regulations have been established which limit the cable to three layers on a drum core, and these rules and regulations have resulted from bad spooling experienced with both plain drum cores and grooved drum cores.

The present invention contemplates a novel multi-layer cable spooling system and apparatus particularly designed and constructed for substantially eliminating the crushing and scrubbing of the cable at the cross-over areas. The helical or pitch sections of the drum core are lowered whereby the cable portion disposed in the pitch section will be suspended between the respective ends of the spaced parallel sections. Thus, the first layer of cable does not actually engage or contact the surface of the drum core in the pitch areas. As a result the radial inward pressure exerted on the first layer of cable by the second layer superimposed thereon merely pushes the first suspended cable section radially inwardly a very small amount, rather than having a squeezing force which results when the inward pressure from the second layer pushes the first layer against the drum core, as is the result with present day spooling drums. In addition, any side scrubbing of one cable segment disposed in the pitch area of the first layer of wound cable against an adjacent wrap of cable will be greatly reduced since each cable segment disposed in the pitch area is not restricted in side movement by the groove surface due to the fact that the cable section in the pitch area is suspended above the bottom of the groove. In addition, build up of the cable at the cross-over area is greatly reduced or substantially eliminated, thus substantially precluding any out of balance condition of the spooling drum during a cable spooling operation.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a novel non-crushing cable spooling system and apparatus wherein crushing pressure of one cable section disposed on top of another cable section is substantially eliminated in the pitch area and cross-over area.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel non-crushing cable spooling system and apparatus wherein the cable sections disposed in the pitch area and crossover area are suspended above the bottom of the groove whereby the cable disposed in the pitch area and cross-over area is permitted to give upon pressure exerted thereagainst by an adjacent wrap of cable, thus reducing scrubbing of the cable section for greatly reducing wear on the cable.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cable spooling apparatus wherein the pitch area of the spooling drum is lower or of a smaller diameter than the parallel areas of the drum for reducing cable build up in the crossover areas to substantially preclude any out of balance condition during the cable spooling operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel cable spooling apparatus wherein the pitch area is lower or of a smaller diameter than the parallel areas of the drum core whereby movement of the cross-over areas of the outer layers of cable around the periphery of the drum core during a cable spooling operation is substantially eliminated, thus providing a more etficient control of the spooling operation.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel cable spooling apparatus and system which is simple and efiicient in operation and economical and durable in construction.

Other and further objects and advantageous features of the present invention will hereinafter more fully appear in connection with a detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of a cable spooling drum embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a cable spooling drum embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an evolved plan view of a cable spooling drum having a cable receiving groove thereon including two helical sections and two parallel sections.

FIGURE 6 is an evolved plan view of a cable spooling drum having a cable receiving groove including one helical section and one parallel section.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 10 generally indicates a cable spooling drum comprising the usual oppositely disposed drum flanges 12 and 14 having a drum core 16 interposed therebetween. The drum core 16 may be of any suitable type, and usually comprises a grooved cylindrical sleeve secured between the drum flanges 12 and 14. The drum core or sleeve 16 is provided with a plurality of parallel grooves 18 and 20 on the outer periphery thereof and spaced apart by a plurality of arcuate or helical grooves 22 and 24. The parallel grooves 18 and 20 cooperate with the arcuate or helical grooves 22 and 24 to provide a continuous combined parallel and helical groove around the sleeve 16 and extending from one of the flanges 12 to the other flange 12, generally similar to that depicted in the FL. Le Bus, Sr. Patent Number 2,734,695, issued Feb. 14,

1956, and entitled, Balanced Cable Spooling. As particularly shown in FIGURE 5, the set of parallel grooves 18 is separated from the set of parallel grooves 20 by the two separate control or pitch areas 22 and 24, and each set of parallel grooves 18 and 20 may extend around the circumference of the sleeve 16 through any variable distance in accordance with the desired grooving system for the drum.

Suitably oppositely disposed control bars or end fillers 26 and 28 are preferably secured adjacent the inner face of the drum flanges 12 and 14, respectively, as is well known, for facilitating guiding of the cable into the groove during the initial winding or winding of the first layer of the cable around the sleeve 16. In addition, the usual control bars or kicker members (not shown) may be secured to the inner face of the drum flanges 12 and 14 for utilization in the well known manner to facilitate the reversal of the cable at the beginning of each succeeding layer during the cable winding operation. However, it is to be understood that the kicker members are not required in some types of installation. An aperture 30 may be provided in the drum core 16, as shown in FIG- URE 1, or may be provided in one of the drum flanges, if desired (not shown), for anchoring one end of the cable or line 32 which is to be wound onto the drum 10.

From an inspection of FIGURE 5 it will be apparent that the set of arcuate grooves 22 are of a configuration for moving or directing the cable 32 from the parallel grooves of set 18 into the corresponding parallel grooves of set 20. Similarly the set of arcuate grooves 24 are of a configuration for moving or directing the cable 32 from the parallel grooves of set 20 into the corresponding parallel grooves of set 18. Whereas in the particular embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 the parallel sections 18 and 21) are arranged in such a manner that the parallel grooves thereof are offset one-half pitch, or spaced onehalf pitch apart, it is to be understood that the parallel grooves may be arranged in substantially any desired offset arrangement.

For example, the embodiment disclosed in FIGURE 6 illustrates a drum 10A having the usual drum flanges 12A and 14A provided with a grooved drum core 16A secured therebetween. The drum core 16A is provided with a plurality of parallel grooves 18A having a plurality of arcuate or helical grooves 34 interposed therein. In this particular embodiment the arcuate groooves 34 are of a configuration for moving or directing the cable from one parallel groove 18A to an adjacent groove 18A, thus resulting in an ofiset arrangement substantially equal to one full pitch or one full groove width. Of course, the usual end filler members (not shown) and kicker members (not shown) may be utilized on the drum flanges 12A and 14A if desired, as is well known.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, each set of grooves 22 and 24 are cut away or recessed in such a manner that the lower surface of each of the grooves 22 and 24 is disposed lower than the lower surface of the grooves 18 and 20. In other words, the diameter D1 of the core 16 at the pitch areas 22 and 24 (or the independent radii thereof) is less than the diameter D2 at the parallel areas 18 and 20. Thus, as the first layer of the cable 32 is wound on the drum the individual wraps 36 are suspended between the points 38 and 40 and do not contact or engage the lower surface of the grooves 24. Similarly, the cable is suspended over the pitch area 22 and does not engage the lower surface of the grooves thereof. As the second layer of cable is wound over the first layer, the individual wraps 42 thereof cross over the wraps 36 of the first layer at each pitch area 22 and 24 and exert a downward or radially inwardforce as indicated by the arrow 44. Since the wraps 36 are not in engagement with the lower surface of the grooves of the pitch areas, there is no opposite or opposing force acting against the force 44. Thus, there is substantially no crushing effect or force exerted on the inner layers of cable as the cable is wound in succeeding layers around the core 16.

In addition, it will be apparent from FIGURE 2 that the wraps 36 of the initial layer of cable wound on the drum core 16 are not restricted by the sides of the grooves 24 and as a consequence each individual wrap disposed in the pitch areas 22 and 24 is free to give slightly in a lateral or sideways direction in response to any sideways force from an adjacent wrap as indicated by the arrow 46. This slight freedom of the individual wraps substantially precludes or greatly reduces any scrubbing action of the cable against itself in the pitch area.

The lowered position of the pitch areas 22 and 24 provides a soft cross-over for the spooled cable and as the cable is wound on the core 16 in multiple layers, any build up of the cable at the cross-over areas is substantally eliminated or greatly reduced because of the fact that the cable is suspended between the points 38 and 40, allowing the cable to give or yield at the pitch or cross-over areas. As a result the outer periphery of the core 16 having the cable wound thereon is maintained at substantially the same diameter Without any build up areas for substantially precluding or eliminating any out of balance condition during the spooling operation. Of course, it is to be noted that the pitch area 34 of the embodiment disclosed in FIGURE 6 is also of a lowered position similar to the pitch areas 22 and 24, thus providing a soft or yieldable cross-over area for the drum 10A with the resulting improvements in the cable spooling operation.

As hereinbefore set forth, however, it is usually preferable to provide a grooving system on the core 16 having two helical or pitch areas and two parallel sections. Of course, the pitch areas may be disposed at substantially any desired spacing around the outer periphery of the drum core.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, a cable spooling drum 50 is depicted therein which comprises a cylindrical core member 52 having the usual drum flanges 54 and 56 disposed at the opposite ends thereof. A pair of spaced arcuate sleeve portions 58 and 60 are spaced around and secured to the outer periphery of the core member 52 in any well known manner, such as by bolting or welding, or the like. The sleeve sections 58 and 60 are each provided with a plurality of parallel grooves 62 and 64, respectively, on the outer periphery thereof for receiving the cable therein, and the usual end fillers (not shown) and kicker members (not shown) may be secured to the inner faces of the flanges 54 and 56, if desired, for facilitating the cable winding operation, as is well known.

The adjacent ends of the sleeve sections 58 anod 60 are spaced apart as clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 to provide a pair of spaced gaps or recess portions 66 and 68. These recess portions are the pitch areas for the first layer of cable to be wound on the drum 50 and it will be apparent from FIGURE 4 that the outer surface of each of the recesses 66 and 68 is lower or of a smaller radius than the lower surface of the parallel grooves 62 and 64. Thus, as the initial layer of cable is wound on the drum 50, the cable portions disposed in the pitch areas 66 and 68 will be suspended between the spaced ends of the grooved sleeve portions 58 and 60. As a result the cable is out of engagement with the bottom surface of the recesses 6'5 and 68 and a soft cross-over area will be provided for the outer layers of cable, as hereinbefore set forth. Of course, the spaced ends of the grooved sleeve portions 58 and 60 are preferably rounded in order to eliminate any damage to the cable at the points of suspension.

Whereas the sleeve portions 58 and 60 as depicted herein comprises a grooved cylindrical sleeve which has been severed longitudinally to remove portions thereof corresponding in arcuate length with the desired width of the pitch areas, it is to be understood that the grooved sleeve portions may be constructed in any suitable manner, such as by securing a plurality of adjacent groove bars (not shown) to the outer periphery of the core 52. Of course, the grooves 64 of the sleeve section 60 may be disposed in substantially any desired offset relationship with respect to the grooves 62 of the sleeve section 58 in order to achieve the desired grooving system for the drum 50. In addition, it may be desirable in some instances to provide only one pitch area instead of two as depicted herein. Of course, the pitch areas 66 and 68 shown in FIGURE 4 may be spaced around the periphery of the core 52 at substantially any desired spacing in accordance with the desired spooling system.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel cable grooving apparatus and system wherein crushing of the cable at the cross-over area is substantially eliminated. The soft cross-over area also substantially precludes build up of the cable in a multi-layer spooling operation, thus eliminating any out of balance condition during the spooling operation, and simultaneously eliminating any harmonic motion in the cable extending from the spooling drum during the spooling operation. In addition, the suspension of the cable in the pitch areas greatly reduces wear on the cable by substantially eliminating scrubbing of the cable against itself in the pitch areas. The novel cable spooling apparatus and system is simple and efficient in operation and economical and durable in construction.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of parts as heretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings, it being understood that any modification in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of spooling cable which consists of winding the first layer of cable on a cable spooling drum in a controlled continuous path of alternate parallel and arcuate sections, reversing the direction of the cable at the beginning of each succeeding layer, winding each succeeding layer of cable in a continuous path of alternate parallel and arcuate sections with the arcuate sections of each layer being disposed on top of the arcuate sections of the previous layer, supporting the first layer of the cable in the parallel areas by positive engagement of the bottom surface of the cable with the spooling drum, suspending the cable in the arcuate areas to maintain radially inward pressure on the inner layers at a minimum and utilizing said suspension of said cable for substantially precluding build up of the cable at the arcuate sections in the multi-layer cable spooling operation.

2. A method of spooling cable which consists of winding the first layer of cable on a cable spooling drum in a controlled continuous path of alternate parallel and pitch areas, maintaining said pitch area in substantial alignment with the axis of the drum, suspending the cable portions of the first layer disposed in the pitch areas, reversing the direction of the cable at the beginning of the second layer of cable, winding the second layer of cable in a continuous path of alternate parallel and cross-over areas, maintaining the cross-over areas of the second layer of cable on top of the pitch areas of the first layer, reversing the cable at the beginning of each succeeding layer of cable, winding each succeeding layer of cable in a continouus path of alternate parallel and cross-over areas, maintaining the cross-over area of each succeeding layer on top of the cross-over area of the previous layer said cable suspension maintaining a yieldable area at the cross-over area to preclude radial inward pressure on the inner layers of cable.

3. A cable spooling apparatus comprising a cable spooling drum, a continuous groove provided on the drum for receiving a cable therein, said groove including alternate parallel areas and pitch areas for controlling the spooling of the first layer of cable on the drum, said pitch areas being in substantial alignment with the axis of the drum and being recessed with respect to the groove portion lying in the parallel areas whereby the cable portions disposed in the pitch areas are suspended thereabove to provide a soft cross-over area for succeeding layers of cable wound on the drum during a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

4. A cable winding apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the groove includes two parallel areas and two pitch areas, each pitch area being of a smaller radius than the radius of the parallel areas to provide said recessed relationship therebetween.

5. A cable winding apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, a continuous groove provided on the outer periphery of the drum core and extending between the flanges for receiving a cable therein, said continuous groove comprising alternate parallel and arcuate sections, and said arcuate sections being in substantial alignment with the axis of the drum core and being recessed with respect to the groove portion lying in the parallel sections whereby the first layer of cable will be suspended thereover.

6. A cable winding apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, a continuous groove provided on the outer periphery of the drum core and extending between the flanges for receiving the first layer of a cable therein, said groove being provided with adjacent recessed portions aligned with the axis of the drum core, the surface of said recessed portions being disposed below the surfaces of the remaining groove 7 portions whereby the cable portions disposed in the recessed portions are out of engagement with the recessed groove portions providing a soft cross-over area for the second and succeeding layers of cable in a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

7. A cable winding apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, a continuous groove provided on the outer periphery of the drum core and extending between the flanges for receiving the first layer of cable therein, said groove being provided with adjacent recessed portions aligned with the longitudinal axis of the drum core and parallel groove portions, the lower surface of said recessed groove portions being disposed lower than the lower surface of the parallel groove portions whereby the cable sections disposed in the recessed portions are suspended above the lower surface of the recessed groove portions, said recessed groove portions cooperating with the first layer of cable to provide a soft cross-over area for succeeding layers of cable in a multi-layer cable winding operation, said soft cross-over areas substantially precluding build up of the cable at the cross-over area and reducing the radial inward pressure on the inner layers of cable for reducing crushing thereof, and said recessed groove portions cooperating with the first layer of cable to permit slight freedom of movement thereof in a sideways direction for reducing scrubbing of the cable against itself to reduce wear on the cable.

8. A cable winding apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, a continuous groove provided on the outer periphery of the drum core and extending between the flanges for receiving the first layer of cable therein, said groove being provided with alternate parallel areas and pitch areas, said pitch areas being aligned with the axis of the drum core, the lower surface of said pitch areas being recessed and disposed lower than the lower surface of the parallel areas whereby the cable sections disposed in the pitch areas are suspended above the lower surface of the grooves of the pitch areas, said recessed pitch areas cooperating with the first layer of cable to provide a soft cross-over area for succeeding layers of cable in a multi-layer cable winding operation, said soft cross-over areas substantially precluding build up of the cable at the cross-over area and reducing the radial inward pressure on the inner layers of cable for reducing crushing thereof, and said recessed pitch areas cooperating with the first layer of cable to permit slight freedom of movement thereof in a sideways direction for reducing scrubbing of the cable against itself to reduce wear on the cable.

9. A cable spooling apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, grooved sleeve means secured to the outer periphery of the core at spaced locations forming gap means therebetween, the surface of the core being below the surface of the sleeve means whereby the initial layer of cable wound on the sleeve is suspended out of engagement with the lower surface of the gap means, said gap means providing a soft cross-over area for the second and succeeding layers of cable in a multi-layer cable spooling operation,

10. A cable spooling apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the grooved sleeve means comprises a pair of arcuate cylindrical sleeve sections secured to the outer periphery of the core and in spaced relation, said spaced relation between said sleeve sections providing two spaced recessed areas for the gap means.

11. A cable spooling apparatus comprising a drum core having flanges on the opposite ends thereof, a pair of arcuate sleeve members secured to the outer periphery of the core and in spaced relationship, a recess portion provided between the spaced ends of the sleeve members whereby two spaced recess portions are provided around the outer periphery of the core, each of said sleeve members being provided with a plurality of parallel grooves on the outer periphery thereof for receiving the initial layer of a cable therein during a cable spooling operation, the outer surface of said recess portions being disposed below the parallel grooves, said cable being suspended in the recess portions out of engagement with the lower surface thereof, said recess portions cooperating with the initial layer of cable to provide a soft cross-over area for the second and succeeding layers of cable in a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

12. A cable spooling apparatus which comprises a core member having flange members at the opposite ends thereof, said core member being provided with a parallel grooved area and a recessed area on the outer periphery thereof for receiving the initial layer of a cable thereon during a cable spooling operation, said recessed area extending longitudinally along the outer periphery of the core in substantial alignment with the drum axis and being disposed below the parallel grooved area and receiving the cable in a suspended relationship for maintaining the cable out of engagement with the lower surface thereof, said recessed area cooperating with the initial layer of cable to provide a soft cross-over area for the second and succeeding layers of the cable during a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

13. A cable spooling apparatus which comprises a core member having flange members at the opposite ends thereof, said core member being provided with alternate parallel grooved areas and recessed areas on the outer periphery thereof for receiving the initial layer of cable during a cable spooling operation, said recessed areas being in substantial alignment with the drum axis and being disposed below said parallel grooved areas and providing a pitch area for the initial layer of cable wherein the cable is suspended out of engagement with the lower surface of the recessed area, said suspended pitch areas providing a soft cross-over area for the second and succeeding layers of the cable in a multi-layer cable spooling operation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,633,629 4/ 1953 Crookston 242-117 X 2,741,441 4/1956 Le BUS 242117 3,272,454 9/1966 Lane et al 242117 GEORGE F. MAUTZ, Primary Examiner. 

